Walter Benjamin reading questions

March, 23rd 2006

As promised, here are some questions pertaining to Benjamin’s Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction:

1. Benjamin’s prognostic essay serves to illuminate the issues and problematics of discussing originality and the original in the same breath as electronic media (even though it was written in 1936). If digital media lacks an original to which the copy refers, can you speculate as to how we might enlarge our vocabulary to describe and understand digital art works? How might we re-define our system of ascribing value to works of art in an arena where words like “original” and “copy” have fundamentally altered meanings?

2. In this essay Walter Benjamin articulates two polar types of reception and valuation of works of art: cult value and exhibition value. First, can you give a contemporary example of a work that demonstrates cult value? What about an example of exhibition value? Is there a work you know of that simultaneously demonstrates both? Furthermore, since, for Benjamin, the age of mechanical reproduction signals the end of the worship of the singular genius or the artistic “auteur”, can you speculate as to how works of art should be valued in a (Postmodern) culture where authenticity and originality have ceased to be meaningful concepts? Is that even a valid assertion?

3. Explain what Benjamin means by “aura”.

4. Finally, what are your other thoughts, in addition to responses to the questions above, on this essay?

Please respond here on the blog rather than the listserv.

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